


Chicken Soup

by AntarcticBird



Series: Kind of a Thing [3]
Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-23
Updated: 2015-08-23
Packaged: 2018-04-16 20:04:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4638465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AntarcticBird/pseuds/AntarcticBird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blaine sneezes a lot, Kurt doesn't know how to pick locks, and Blaine's mom learns that first impressions can be deceiving.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chicken Soup

He's walking down the hallway in the direction of Blaine's locker when his phone vibrates in his pocket. They meet by Blaine's locker every morning and he's already late, so he doesn't even stop walking to pull his phone from his pocket, unlock the screen, and pull up the new message.

 _From Blaine_  
sorry have to stay home today I got the flu or something

Kurt does stop walking finally, stares at the message for a long minute, biting his lip, mood sinking at the prospect of not seeing Blaine at all today.

 _From Kurt_  
are you okay? Do you need anything? I can be there in a half hour.

 _From Blaine_  
you have school Kurt

 _From Kurt_  
I'm smart I can afford to miss a day. How are you?

 _From Blaine_  
don't skip school! Please!

 _From Kurt_  
stop avoiding the question. How are you?

 _From Blaine_  
I'm fine Kurt

 _From Kurt_  
oh is that why you're staying home? I know you Blaine, if it's bad enough for you to miss class I'm worried.

 _From Blaine_  
Aww Kurt  <3

 _From Kurt_  
that's not an answer, Blaine!

 _From Blaine_  
flu might have been too dramatic. I have a bad cold. Probably gonna be back tomorrow, please go to class.

 _From Kurt_  
are you sure you don't want me to come over?

 _From Blaine_  
I'll just get you sick too

 _From Kurt_  
I don't care about that.

 _From Blaine_  
But I do. Plus I'll cry if you dont go to class do you want that Kurt

 _From Kurt_  
Fine I'll go. But I'll be checking in regularly and you'll tell me if you need anything. Anything at all is that clear???

 _From Blaine_  
You're the best boyfriend ever.

Kurt texts back a simple heart and pockets his phone, making his way to class reluctantly. 

He hasn't spent a day without Blaine since they started dating; Quinn and Puck tease him about it mercilessly, even now that Blaine's hung out with them under the bleachers a few times and they've more or less admitted that he's sort of cool despite being a bit nerdy. 

It feels all kinds of weird to be going to class without at least a good morning kiss.

Also, he can't deny that he's worried. Blaine missing class – that is a reason to worry for anyone who knows Blaine. Blaine ' _I'm-gonna-be-valedictorian_ ' Anderson _never_ misses class.

**

He checks in with Blaine every few hours, texting, sometimes calling, and toward the end of the day it doesn't seem as if Blaine is rid of that cold yet; it certainly doesn't look as if he's going to be back the next day. 

When Kurt calls him after dinner, Blaine's voice is still rough and nasal from being all stuffy and he sounds so _tired_ and Kurt tells him to get some sleep and hangs up and then just sits for a while and worries some more.

So Blaine says it's just a cold, a few more days and he is going to be okay. Still, the thought of Blaine not feeling well makes his heart hurt in a way he has never felt before. He just wants him to be better. He just wants to _see_ him.

He does go to class the next morning, makes it through English which is so _boring_ without having Blaine there, and then when he checks his phone, he sees that Blaine has never responded to his last message.

And without even thinking about it for more than a millisecond, he turns on his heels, heading straight for the front doors, and walks out of the school, down the front steps, across the parking lot to where his car is parked at the far end of it.

It's a short drive to Blaine's house and he pulls up into the empty driveway – Blaine's parents are at work, which means poor sick Blaine is all alone in there and probably feeling miserable and oh _god_ Kurt should have come here _yesterday_ what kind of a boyfriend is he even – and hits Blaine's number on speed dial as he gets out of the car.

Blaine doesn't pick up, just confirming to Kurt that he should indeed be here instead of school. Blaine is sick. Blaine needs him. He isn't even answering his phone. Who knows how bad Blaine is feeling, he needs to get to him _right now_ , he needs to – he stops with one foot on the steps of the front porch, pauses.

Blaine's not answering his phone and probably won't answer the doorbell either, and both Blaine's parents are at work. How is he going to get in to check on Blaine?

Taking a few steps back, he takes in the front of the house, shoulders heaving in a sigh. He needs an idea and he needs it quickly. Slowly, he makes his way into the backyard, eyes falling on the garden shed behind the house. He wonders if Blaine's family keeps a ladder in there. They do have some tall cherry trees that would let you assume they might own one. And he knows they always leave the upstairs bathroom window cracked...

It's worth a try, he decides, walking over there to have a closer look at the padlock keeping the shed door closed. It's a good, solid, probably expensive padlock. And he's not in the habit of breaking and entering usually, so he has no idea how to pick it.

Luckily, the Andersons apparently don't pay much attention to the fact that the wooden door of their shed is getting kind of brittle; maybe they'd spent all their money on this wickedly solid padlock and had nothing left for a good wood preserver.

Feeling only slightly guilty (because really, in this case he fully believes that the end justifies the means, this is about _Blaine_ ) Kurt grabs on firmly to the lock, braces a boot-clad foot against the side of the shed for leverage, and with a hard yank rips the bolt that holds the padlock out of the door. He'll offer to install a new door if he has to, he thinks as he mentally shakes his head at how quickly the wood splinters under the strain. It's not like any new door he'll get them could be worse than the one he just destroyed.

He does find a ladder neatly hung up along the side of the wall and breathes a sigh of relief. At least his spontaneous vandalism wasn't for nothing, then. That does make him feel significantly better, if he's being honest.

**

Blaine looks so small and vulnerable curled up under the covers, snoring and drooling a little, his face sickly pale and his hair a mess.

Kurt sits down gingerly on the edge of his bed, carefully places his palm over Blaine's forehead. It's clammy but cool enough, if he does have a fever it's not high. Still, Kurt feels his heart stutter and has to swallow a few times; he doesn't like seeing him like this. He looks like he's not feeling well and that's just not right. He doesn't like it. He doesn't like it at all.

There's a glass and a pitcher of water on his nightstand, a thermos that's probably filled with tea, a box of tissues, some VapoRub, and cough drops. At least he has the essentials. Still, Kurt suddenly feels the overwhelming urge to make him chicken soup. Maybe he can do that later.

For now, he bends down, presses his lips to Blaine's gross, sweaty forehead in a soft kiss. He just needs to be with him for a moment, just until he's convinced himself that Blaine really is okay. Maybe he's been more worried than he had admitted even to himself.

Blaine stirs, grumbling a little, squeezing his eyes firmly shut before slowly and drowsily blinking them open. Kurt smiles down at him, hand on Blaine's forehead sliding up to card through his messy curls.

“Kurt?” Blaine says, managing to sound utterly confused even with his voice all scratchy and hoarse.

“Hi,” Kurt says softly. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you.”

Blaine smacks his lips, wipes the corner of his mouth with his sleeve. “Is it – how long was I out, is it afternoon? Is mom home?”

“It's not even ten,” Kurt tells him. “Your mom's at work. Do you need tea? Or something else?”

Blaine shakes his head. “How -” he stops. “I don't remember letting you in.”

“You didn't.”

“Kurt,” Blaine rasps, staring up at him. “Did you – did you break into my house?”

Kurt ducks his head a little. “You always leave the bathroom window open.”

“We – The one up here? How did you reach it?”

He shrugs, scratching Blaine's scalp a little to distract him, he knows it soothes Blaine. “Uh – ladder. I – I sort of – um – broke the door to your shed. Uh. Sorry about that.”

And because his boyfriend is ridiculous and finds the stupidest things romantic, he reaches for Kurt's free hand, eyes softening, his smile so _happy_ as he blinks up at him. “Kurt! You did that for me?”

He lifts his shoulders in another shrug, suddenly embarrassed. “I – yeah. Well. You wouldn't answer any of my calls. I didn't know … I was … um. Worried.”

Blaine nods slowly, and it looks like his eyes are a little wet, but that's probably from the cold. “Thank you,” Blaine whispers.

Kurt lifts his hand, kisses the back of it. “You look like shit,” he says. “How are you feeling?”

Blaine laughs but it quickly turns into a coughing fit and Kurt helps him sit up on the bed, holding him until it passes. “I'm feeling great,” Blaine manages after several deep breaths. “Fantastic.”

“Oh honey,” Kurt says, and doesn't even manage to feel embarrassed about that totally embarrassing pet name slipping out. Instead, he hugs him closer, strokes his back in a comforting motion. “What can I do? What do you need?”

“Nothing,” Blaine says. “Thank you. You don't have to do anything. You should leave, I'll just get you sick, I -”

“No.”

“I'm disgusting. I'm all sweaty and gross and germy and -”

“I'm not going anywhere,” Kurt informs him firmly. “Forget it. I'm staying with you at least until your parents get home.”

“But -”

“Don't argue with me,” Kurt cuts him off. “You know I'll win.”

Blaine pulls back a little, opens his mouth as if to argue anyway, then lets his shoulders slump, face smoothing into a gentle, grateful smile. “Are you sure?”

Kurt feels like he should be scared by just how very sure he is. But there's nothing scary about feeling any of this. “Of course I'm sure.”

“I wish I could kiss you,” Blaine says. “But that would definitely get you sick.”

Kurt reaches for his shoulders, gently urges him to lie back down and tucks him in again. “Just get some rest so you get better quickly and then I'll kiss you so much you'll get sick of it.”

“Not possible,” Blaine assures him.

“We'll see,” Kurt says. “For now, I'm going to go downstairs to ransack your kitchen and make you some fresh tea. Whether you want it or not.”

Blaine doesn't argue any further so Kurt gives him another smile and gets up from the edge of the bed to get started on his Make Blaine Feel Better mission.

**

Blaine drinks his tea without arguing while Kurt googles chicken soup recipes on his phone – he hasn't had to make it in a while and he wants to make sure to get it right for Blaine. He figures he can slip out for a while when Blaine is taking a nap and get the ingredients.

Once he's finished his tea with honey under Kurt's watchful eye, Blaine does indeed fall back asleep quickly, and Kurt leaves him a note on the pillow so Blaine won't worry if he wakes up before Kurt gets back. And then he just stands there and looks at him for a minute, feeling too much to make sense of it. Blaine is so _beautiful_ , even pale and sweaty like this.

Sometimes Kurt still can't quite believe it that this is his boyfriend. He can't believe he's this lucky. He knows what the whole school thinks of him, he's done a lot to cultivate the image. It was easier than being a constant target. And even if he doesn't really fully fit in with the skanks – Blaine's the first boy he's ever done _anything_ with – he's proud of who he is and he actually does like his friends, especially Puck and Quinn, and in a lot of ways getting to be this version of himself has helped him more than he's ever though possible. He feels safe, presenting himself a certain way, and he's never breathed easier in the hallways of McKinley than he does looking like he does now. Plus, the pink hair? Is just _awesome_. He's really come to love it. And he's incredibly fond of his eyebrow piercing, it's a fantastic look on him.

And yet, looking the way he does, acting the way he does with the constant scowling and sarcasm and pretending he's some kind of tough guy – he knows it keeps a lot of people at a distance. He knows there's a price to being who he is, but isn't that true for every kind of identity you choose for yourself?

Still, sometimes it does hurt, seeing people avoiding him, acting afraid of him, making snide remarks about him or spreading rumors about him and all the things he supposedly does with his spare time.

Blaine had just been different from the start. Maybe it's what made him kiss Blaine that afternoon when they were supposed to be working on an English assignment. Maybe it's what made him notice Blaine in the first place. He doesn't know. He just knows that Blaine never acted afraid of him or like he was better than Kurt in some way. Blaine got partnered with him for a class project and instead of rolling his eyes, he smiled that wide, sunny smile of his and gave him his phone number and invited him over to his house.

And Kurt looks down at him snoring loudly again due to the cold, drooling into his pillow, smacking his lips loudly as he rolls over under the covers. And he knows _exactly_ how lucky he is.

He finds Blaine's keys neatly put away in a bowl on an end table next to the front door, takes them so he'll get back inside without having to climb through the upstairs bathroom window carrying shopping bags – breaking in once is enough – and goes to get ingredients for soup.

**

Cooking in a kitchen that's not his own is weird, at first.

He doesn't know where anything is, has to figure out how to use their fancy stove (he's not used to induction range) and it takes him almost five minutes to find the good knives and another two to locate a cutting board. Nothing is where he would keep it if it were his kitchen.

So it takes him a little longer than it would have at home, but Blaine had still been asleep when Kurt had returned, he'd checked on him. He hopes that he'll stay asleep until Kurt is done in the kitchen.

Once the soup is ready, he takes the time to clean up after himself before finding a bowl, filling it and leaving the rest of the soup in the pot on the stove to cool enough so Blaine's mom can freeze it later.

Blaine is on his side, eyes open but still looking a bit sleepy when Kurt pushes the door open with an elbow, careful not to spill anything.

“Hey,” Kurt says.

Blaine turns his head to look up at him, Kurt's note held tightly in his right hand. “Hi.”

“I made you chicken soup.”

The smile on Blaine's face is almost shy. “Why are you doing all of this for me?”

Kurt sets the bowl down on Blaine's nightstand, reaches for him to help him sit up and get the second pillow to prop him up against the headboard. _Because I love you, you dork_ , he thinks, cheeks flushing hot as he fights the words down. It's too early for that. He can't say it yet, is usually so careful to not even think it. “Because you're gross and I want to make you less gross so I can make out with you again,” he says teasingly, quickly bending down to press a lingering kiss to Blaine's forehead as if to wipe away the words.

“I really appreciate it,” Blaine assures him, and Kurt picks up the soup, sits down on the edge of Blaine's bed and hands him the spoon.

“Eat your lunch. There's more for dinner. Once you're done with this I'll make you some peppermint tea and we can watch a movie.”

“Like the first time you kissed me,” Blaine says, grinning down at his hands.

Kurt frowns. “We didn't watch a movie the first time I kissed you.”

“No.” Blaine shakes his head. “I mean – you kissed me, kind of out of nowhere, and then you told me I tasted like peppermint tea.”

Kurt laughs, can't look away from Blaine. He remembers that day so well. “And then you proceeded to make out with me like it was an Olympic discipline.”

“You seemed to like it.”

“I did like it,” Kurt assures him, and for a while, they just sort of grin at each other before Kurt shoves the bowl at Blaine. “Okay, enough of this. Eat up. You look like you need it.”

Blaine sticks his tongue out at him, but then starts eating anyway.

**

“You want to watch something?” Kurt asks once he has washed Blaine's bowl in the kitchen and made him some fresh tea that's currently cooling on his nightstand.

Blaine yawns. “Yeah. I don't know if I can stay awake through it, though. No promises.”

Kurt smiles at him affectionately and playfully ruffles his hair. “That's okay. Of course I'm going to draw penises on your face with permanent marker while you're out, but you don't mind, do you?”

Blaine laughs, then sneezes three times in a row, grabbing for a handful of tissues just in time. He whines pitifully once he's wiped his nose and tossed the tissues in the direction of the trash can, turns his widest and most heartrending puppy eyes on Kurt. “Why are you teasing me? I'm sick!” He pouts, sticking out his bottom lip, looking so sad Kurt moves closer to him on instinct even as they both start grinning.

“Aww, sweetie,” he says. “I'm sorry. How can I make it up to you?”

Blaine seems to consider it. “You can watch _When Harry Met Sally_ with me?”

Kurt rolls his eyes, laughs, gets up to find the DVD on Blaine's shelf. “Fine. Whatever. It's the least I can do, I guess.”

“You act like you don't love that movie as much as I do,” Blaine says, eyes following him around the room as Kurt finds the DVD and makes his way over to Blaine's TV to pop it in the DVD player. “I know for a fact that you adore Meg Ryan.”

“Who told you that?” Kurt asks, looking back at Blaine over his shoulder.

“You did,” Blaine points out. “When we were watching it the last time. You insisted on being her if the two of us were the two of them.”

“Yeah well,” he says, walking back over to the bed as the DVD menu starts playing. “If Puck and Quinn knew how many romantic comedies I let you make me watch, they would literally _never_ stop laughing at me.”

Blaine fishes the remote out of his nightstand drawer. “Then they clearly have no taste.” He raises an eyebrow at Kurt as he settles back on the edge of the bed. “What movies are you allowed to watch anyway? And why no rom-coms? Not socially critical enough? Too happy-making?”

Kurt sighs. “Now who's making fun of his poor, innocent boyfriend who gave up an entire day of school to cook meals and make tea and -”

“Hey, you started it.” Blaine's smile is soft, then his face falls a bit as he fiddles with the remote. “This is the first time since we got together that we'll watch a movie without cuddling.”

Kurt frowns at him. “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why no cuddling?”

Blaine looks at him as if he's stupid gesturing down his pajama-clad front. “Because I'm all sick and clammy and gross and you should keep your distance so you won't catch what I have.”

Kurt rolls his eyes so hard he fears for a moment that he gave himself a headache, then shoves lightly at Blaine's shoulder. “Scoot over. Come on.”

Blaine shakes his head, doing his best to look stern which is honestly a pretty hilarious look on someone whose hair looks as if he's stuck his finger in a light socket, nose bright red and eyes narrow with sleepiness. “Kurt. No way. You can't -”

“If I want to cuddle with my boyfriend, I will cuddle with my boyfriend,” Kurt informs him. “No cold is going to stop me!” He pauses. “Unless you'd rather – I don't want to crowd you. I mean, if you're too warm or anything -” He knows how he himself gets when he's sick, how sometimes he just feels so overheated and disgusting and sweaty he just can't stand anyone in close proximity.

“I just don't want you to get sick,” Blaine says quietly, hand reaching for Kurt's arm despite his words.

And Kurt knows Blaine. Blaine's a cuddler. And if Blaine wants hugs, Kurt doesn't care about any stupid cold. Blaine's going to get hugs.

“Move over,” Kurt repeats, just as quietly, smiling at him. “I never get sick. Don't worry.”

Blaine hesitates another second, but he looks happy when he finally makes room, holds out his arms for Kurt. “Okay,” he says. “Fine. Cuddle me, boyfriend!”

Kurt grins triumphantly and bends down to take off his heavy boots before sliding onto the bed next to Blaine, pulling him into his arms as Blaine hits Play on the remote before dropping it to the blanket.

It feels so good to be holding him, to have him so close, Kurt doesn't care about anything else. God, the things he'd do for this boy – a stupid little cold will never keep him away from Blaine. Never.

Blaine makes it through fifteen minutes of the movie before his head starts dropping, and he keeps jolting up as if trying desperately to stay awake. He starts yawning, eyes blinking furiously.

“You're exhausted,” Kurt whispers to him.

“I've been sleeping all day, and yesterday too. I should make it through one movie.”

“You can sleep,” Kurt tells him. “You should. It'll make you feel better.”

“But -” Blaine breaks off, yawning again. “What about cuddling?”

Kurt chuckles, tightens his arms around him, slides a little lower on the bed. “We can cuddle while you sleep.”

“But we're watching a movie!”

“I'll tell you how it ends,” Kurt jokes, unable to fully keep the amusement out of his voice.

“I'm such a bad host,” Blaine says miserably. “I can't just _sleep_ on you.”

“I'm not your guest, Blaine,” Kurt reminds him. “I'm your boyfriend. Your boyfriend who cares about you and wants you to feel better.”

Blaine keeps his eyes fixed on the TV for another few seconds, then sighs and just sort of slumps sideways in Kurt's arms, pressing his face against Kurt's chest. “Thank you.”

“You don't have to thank me.”

“I do. Because you're the best. You know that, right?” Blaine asks, words already slurring a little. “You're awesome, Kurt. And so -” He yawns again. “Beautiful. With the hair. And the face. And everything, just – so beautiful.”

Kurt hugs him tighter and doesn't say anything, but he feels so, so much.

He keeps very still so Blaine can sleep comfortably resting half on top of him, and he knows what he feels for him. He knows exactly what he feels for Blaine, and he can't say it yet, but … soon. Probably. He wants to. Because Blaine deserves to know. Blaine deserves to know exactly how happy he makes Kurt, how honored Kurt feels to be his boyfriend, how – how much he loves him.

It feels too much sometimes, like he can't possibly keep it all inside. Blaine is the best thing in his life.

He feels shaky with love, like he could fly and sing and laugh and dance and just never stop being amazed by everything he feels. He didn't know it would be like this, but he likes it.

The movie still playing on the screen, he holds Blaine while he sleeps, presses a soft, careful kiss into the mess of tousled and slightly greasy curls. He _loves_ him. So much he can barely stand it sometimes.

And so he watches the rest of the movie while Blaine drools onto his shirt and he feels so happy he can't stop grinning.

**

The end credits of the movie are rolling by the time Blaine stirs, mumbling and rubbing his face against Kurt's chest a little, yawning widely.

“Hey,” Kurt says, finally daring to reach for the remote to turn off the TV and shift a bit on the bed, moving his muscles that have started feeling a bit stiff some time ago. “You awake?”

“Nuh-uh,” Blaine grumbles into Kurt's shirt. “'m not.”

“Okay.” Kurt pats his hair. “You can go right back to sleep, I promise, just, can we lie down properly? It's going to be more comfortable for both of us.”

“Mmnf,” Blaine provides helpfully, and Kurt chuckles.

“Honey? Come on. I swear it's gonna be better that way.”

Blaine yawns, moans, coughs, then scrambles halfway upright to tug another tissue from the box on the nightstand and blow his nose before just throwing it on the floor. He looks at Kurt, face still so tired and pale, and says in a small, stuffy voice, “Having a cold _sucks_.”

“I know,” Kurt says softly, cupping his cheek. “I know. I'm sorry.”

“It's just -” Blaine flumps back onto the mattress, sprawled out on his back, and sighs, coughs, sneezes into the crook of his elbow, accepts the new tissue Kurt hands him. “My nose,” he continues, “and my chest and my head and my throat and _having a cold sucks_.”

“Poor Blaine,” Kurt says, gently rubbing his arm. “I wish I could make it better.”

Blaine looks up at him, sighs, a small smile on his lips.” You do.”

Kurt lowers his gaze, one hand gently rubbing Blaine's chest through the pajama top as if that will do anything to help him. “Oh,” he says, hit with sudden inspiration. “You want VapoRub?”

Blaine nods. “If it's not too much trouble? I don't know, that stuff always makes me feel better...”

“That's what it's for,” Kurt says, retrieving the tub from the nightstand before proceeding to unbutton Blaine's pajama stop, moving to straddle his thighs for better access. He pauses kneeling over Blaine, looking down at him hesitantly. “Uh, sorry, I – is this okay?”

Blaine snorts. “Kurt we've had sex, you can sit on my legs if you want to.”

He laughs a bit, relieved. “Just making sure.”

Carefully, he scoops up a huge glob of the jelly-like stuff and starts spreading it on Blaine's chest with both hands, rubbing it in gently, smiling to himself as Blaine closes his eyes, humming a little under his breath.

“Um, hello?” a voice says from the direction of the door, and Kurt jumps, barely bites back a shocked squeal, hands going still on Blaine's chest, looking back over his shoulder.

“What the -” he starts, breaks off, heart hammering in his chest from the shock.

There's a woman standing there at the door of Blaine's room, arms crossed in front of her chest, eyes sparkling with anger and irritation.

“May I ask,” she says coolly, “what on _earth_ you are doing in my son's bed?”

Kurt feels himself go pale, heart beating hard in his chest. “I – your son? You're -”

“Mom,” Blaine interrupts with his scratchy voice, eyes open now, shaking his head at the woman who's walking closer now, still looking furious.

“Get off him _now_ ,” she hisses. “How did you get in here anyway? Blainey, is this one of the guys you're tutoring? You couldn't even cancel your appointments today while you're sick?”

“No, he's -” Blaine starts.

“I'm not -” Kurt tries.

“ _You_!” the woman spits, turning her gaze back on Kurt. “I don't know what the _hell_ you are thinking, but you get off of him _right now_! I don't know what you _think_ you're doing, but Blaine has a _boyfriend_. And he's sick, he doesn't need you to -”

“Um, if I may say something,” Kurt interrupts her, a bit louder than he thinks is technically polite, but he doesn't know how to get a word in edgewise otherwise.

“ _What_?” she barks at him.

“Uh,” he says, still straddling Blaine's thighs, hands still all slippery with VapoRub. “Hi. You must be Blaine's mother. I'm Kurt, his boyfriend.”

“You -” she says, stops, jaw dropping open, looking confused, eyes darting between him and Blaine. “What … Blaine?”

Blaine nods, finally able to make himself heard with his raspy voice now that no one is shouting anymore. “Yeah,” he confirms. “This is Kurt. My Kurt. Uh, my _boyfriend_. Kurt, that's my mom. She's not really insane, just protective.”

“Hi,” Kurt repeats, waving at her since he can't exactly offer his hands to shake with VapoRub all over them.

“Oh my god,” she says, anger fading from her face, giving way to a wide, delighted smile before she claps both her hands over her mouth. “No! Really? I didn't – _Really_? Kurt! Oh my god. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't – It's so _nice_ to _finally meet you_ , oh my god!”

“I – uh, likewise,” Kurt answers lamely, heart still beating too hard, not quite sure if he's allowed to move yet.

“I'm sorry,” she says again, laughing a little, shaking her head. “I just didn't think – I mean, I'd never seen you before and I didn't think when I saw you right now – you know, with the hair, and the -” she points to her own eyebrow, other hand gesturing wildly. “I didn't know. I didn't mean to scare you, I'm _really_ sorry!”

“It's okay,” Kurt promises for lack of anything better to say.

Blaine smiles at both of them, looking a bit less tired after the shock of the past few minutes. “Well, now you know each other,” he says, voice whispery and hoarse.

“Shh, don't talk if it hurts,” Kurt says quickly, at the same time Blaine's mom says, “Oh no, honey, your poor throat, is it still not better?”

Kurt exchanges a quick, tentative smile with Blaine's mother, then finally climbs off his boyfriend because this is a bit weird even if it's completely innocent. “I should wash my hands,” he says, because, well, he should, they still have menthol-smell all over them. “I'll be right back,” he says to Blaine, quickly kisses his forehead before he can think too much about it. Then he hurries from the room and to the bathroom, the one with the window he used to break into Blaine's house earlier.

He has no intention of leaving just because Blaine's mother is home, but he does need a minute to just … breathe, after what happened.

So he takes his time to wash his hands and pee and wash his hands again and check over his face in the mirror. His hair is as pink as ever, the piercings in his eyebrow and in his ears glinting in the light from the open window. He knows he doesn't look like the kind of guy a mother would choose for her son's boyfriend. But then, it's not really Blaine's mom's choice who her son is dating, and, even though sometimes he still can't quite believe his luck, Blaine _has_ chosen him, for some reason.

He comes back into the room to Blaine's mom sitting on the edge of Blaine's bed, stroking his hair and talking softly.

She looks up when she hears Kurt enter, smiles brightly. “Kurt,” she says. “I was just asking Blaine, but he wasn't sure. Are you staying for a while longer?”

Kurt stops, confused. “Uh. I – guess? That's okay, right?” He looks at Blaine, who looks calmly back at him.

“It's just that I have to go back to work,” Blaine's mom explains. “I just came home for a bit to check up on Blainey and make sure he's okay. I'd feel a lot better, though, if someone were here looking after him until his dad and I come home tonight.”

“Oh.” Kurt nods quickly. “Yes, that's – I can do that. Not a problem.”

“Thank you,” Blaine says, voice low and gravelly, and Blaine's mom nods.

“That makes me feel so much better, thanks! I'm just going to make him a fresh cup of tea and then I really have to get back to the office.” She turns back to Blaine who looks very tired again. “You'll be okay? With Kurt?”

“Of course, mom,” Blaine assures her. “He's been taking good care of me all day long.”

“Okay,” she says, not even commenting on the fact that Kurt is obviously skipping school. Kurt's rather grateful for that. “I'll go get you that tea.”

“Oh, I can do that,” Kurt jumps in quickly. “It's not a problem. I was going to make some more anyway. That last cup is probably cold by now.”

“Wonderful,” she says, and with a last smile at Blaine gets up off the bed and gestures to Kurt. “You can just come downstairs with me and I'll show you where the frozen pizza is in case you get hungry later.”

He throws a wide-eyed _please-help-me_ look at Blaine, but Blaine just watches as his mom puts a hand on Kurt's back and firmly guides him from the room.

Downstairs in the kitchen she explains to him the contents of the freezer, then throws an eyebrows-raised look at the pot on the stove. “What's that?”

“Chicken soup,” Kurt explains. “I bought some stuff and made it for Blaine. There's enough in there for a few more days at least.”

“You did that for him?” she asks, sounding touched. “Aw, Kurt, that's so nice of you!”

“It's not a big deal,” he mumbles, staring down at his socked feet.

Kurt follows her as she's already walking out into the hall, slipping back into her coat, grabbing her keys from the table by the door. “I think it's a big deal to him,” she says.

Kurt just shrugs and doesn't say anything.

“Listen,” she continues, standing there ready to go, keys in hand. “I'm sorry for earlier, okay? I just had no idea who you were. I mean, I knew _of_ you, obviously, but I didn't expect the -” she gestures toward his face, and he knows what she means.

He doesn't feel like apologizing for anything he is, so he keeps quiet.

“Blaine never said,” she goes on. “Not that it matters. I just – you're not gonna hold it against me, are you?”

“It was a bit of a weird situation,” he admits reluctantly.

“Yeah, it was,” she says. “But even if it was weird, I'm glad I finally got to meet you,” she says. “He's been talking about you a lot. And when I say a lot, I mean, like, _a lot_. Like, he hasn't shut up about you in forever.”

Kurt blushes a little, bites his lip. He doesn't like to blush, the red in his face clashes with the pink in his hair, but there's nothing he can do about it. “Sorry.”

“Don't apologize,” she says, not at all picking up on the hint of sarcasm in his voice. “I mean, Blaine has always been a little sunshine, but lately he's been extra sunshiny. And I'm pretty sure it's because of you. So thank you for that!”

Kurt opens and closes his mouth, not sure what to say. Whatever he'd expected from his first meeting with Blaine's parents, this is so absolutely not it. 

“I -” He swallows. “I didn't really do anything,” he finally manages, not sure how much credit he wants to take for Blaine's great mood. It's probably just all the sex they've been having anyway, of course Blaine's constantly flooded with happy hormones thanks to that, but he can't exactly say that to Blaine's mother.

“Well,” she replies, laughing. “Maybe it's just your stunning good looks, then.” She winks at him, and Kurt feels his jaw drop a little. But she's already continuing, “Whatever it is, it seems to be working, so please keep doing it. My Blaine has not always had it very easy, you know? But ever since that day he came home and told me he had a boyfriend, he's been so _happy_. I love seeing him so happy. He really likes you, Kurt. I can tell.”

Kurt blushes darker, stops trying to fight it, he's going to walk away from this conversation tomato-red and he's just going to have to stick his head in the freezer. “I really like him too,” he says quietly.

“Yeah.” She grins. “I can see that too.”

Before he can stop her, she's hugging him, then just as abruptly pulls back, gives him a wave, yells, “SEE YOU LATER, SWEETHEART,” up the stairs at the top of her lungs, and walks out the front door, cell phone already to her ear as the door slams behind her.

Kurt stands, stunned, and doesn't move for a second. Blaine's mom seems even perkier than _Blaine_. When she's not yelling. He hadn't thought it was actually possible to be that sunny and still be a real person.

It's only when he hears Blaine sneezing upstairs that he jolts from his momentary paralysis and hurries to the kitchen to get that tea for Blaine and join him in the safety of a room with only the two of them in it.

**

They're cuddled up in bed again, watching _You've Got Mail_ because apparently Blaine gets Meg Ryan cravings when he's sick (a fact that Kurt secretly loves because he's always thought he was the only one).

“My mom wasn't too much, was she?” Blaine asks, cheek resting against Kurt's shoulder.

Kurt tightens his arms around him. “No. She wasn't.”

“She means well,” Blaine assures him. “I'm sorry she assumed you were – you know.”

Kurt pauses. “You really never told her?”

Blaine lifts his head, frowns at him. “Told her what?”

“You know.” Kurt looks down at himself. “About – me. About – what I'm like.”

“I told her you were really awesome,” Blaine says. “And smart. And funny. And beautiful. What else would I have told her?”

Kurt shrugs, slides a hand into Blaine's hair to guide his head back down to his shoulder so he can press his cheek into his curls. “Nothing.”

“She didn't say anything super embarrassing or offensive to you downstairs, did she?” Blaine wants to know, sounding worried.

“No,” Kurt assures him. “She was – really nice.”

“Okay.” Blaine snuggles in a little closer, sighs. “I'm tired.”

Kurt laughs, kisses his hair. “Go ahead and sleep through this movie as well. When you wake up, I'll warm up some soup for you.”

“Best boyfriend ever,” Blaine rasps happily, lets Kurt shuffle them down a bit on the bed, and starts snoring softly only minutes later.

Kurt holds him close and watches the movie and plays with Blaine's curls, and he's glad if Blaine is happy, because he's so, so happy himself. And that's all because of Blaine.


End file.
